Athertons sign with Trek Factory Racing for 2016

After weeks of speculation the rumours have been confirmed and the Athertons have signed with Trek Factory Racing.

Gee, Rachel, Dan and Taylor Vernon will all be riding Trek bikes next year at the downhill World Cups and Enduro World Series events after announcing they were leaving GT earlier this week.

The Athertons will be taking most of their sponsors and backroom staff with them to Trek but have left Martin Maes, who is expected to be announcing his new team soon. The contract will last for three years, the same length as the contract with GT.

The Athertons come into the deal on good form. Rachel was dominant in last year’s World Cup series after taking six wins and a comfortable lead in the overall, Gee was also consistently a podium contender in the men’s field. They also bring a wealth of media opportunities due to their celebrity status within the sport.

Atherton Racing in Wales, United Kingdom on the 04 November 2015

This is a big step for Trek who enjoyed dominance with Aaron Gwin in 2011 and 2012 but have been through a barren spell recently. This also means that Trek’s current riders, Brook MacDonald, George Brannigan and Laurie Greenland, will be riding for new teams next year.

Dan Brown, team director, said: “The team have substantial goals and we’re really excited to have Trek’s support and partnership. We’re looking forward to bringing the passion and professionalism that Trek have demonstrated across their whole cycling portfolio to our World Cup Downhill campaign and beyond.”

Watch Rachel Atherton show off the scars from her career in racing

We can also expect the Session to undergo development under the Athertons’ guidance, as the GT Fury did before it.

Gee said: “A lot of people out there are already saying that the Session is the fastest bike on the circuit, Trek have shown how receptive they are to rider feedback, and we want to put our own stamp on the bikes.”

While Gee, Rachel and Taylor will all be racing full time, Dan will split his time between racing, filming and organising events such as the Hardline.